Outdoor show facing a giant battle for fans

Jack Kerr, the long-time organizer of the upcoming Garden State Outdoor Sportsmen's Show, was on Interstate 81 in Pennsylvania barreling northbound. It was New Year's Day and Kerr, en route to New Jersey for the big show, was good-naturedly grumbling about the New York Giants.

Unless there's a snowstorm, Kerr usually has no problem attracting patrons to the annual show at the Garden State Exposition Center in Edison. However, many North Jersey outdoors types also are Giants fans and, given the choice between attending the final day of the Sportsmen's Show or watching their team compete in the NFC Divisional Playoff Game a week from today, it's likely they'll choose the latter.

"They're a pain in the neck," Kerr said jokingly, referring to the Giants. "They've always been kind of a thorn in my side."

It won't be the first time Kerr's show had to compete with the Giants for attention. Kerr remembers another year when several of the players came to the Sportsmen's Show on a Saturday preceding a playoff game. Kerr, fearing the impact on attendance of the big game, offered to let the whole team into the show for free if they decided to skip the game and return the next day.

Actually, Kerr said he's never noticed too much of a drop in attendance on Sundays with important Giants games. Since the doors to the outdoors show open at 9 a.m. and close at 6 p.m., those who love the woods as much as watching football need not necessarily choose one over the other.

This year's Sportsmen's Show, the 26th, begins Thursday at 1 p.m. Kerr and his wife, Georgie, stressed the show has evolved over the years and now caters to more than hunters and anglers. Basically, if it's related to outdoors activity, it's welcome at the Kerr's event.

"Years ago, our shows were for men, hunting and fishing men," said Georgie Kerr. "It was hunting supplies and fishing tackle and all that. This has changed over the years so we have more that is of interest to a more general audience."

The changes brought complaints from some of the purely hunting and angling exhibitors, but the Kerrs were just reacting to reality.

"We had to change a little bit," she said. "If we didn't, we'd have a whole show of just outfitters. We had to go with the flow."

Doing so made the show more of a family affair, something bolstered by the Kerr's pricing policy: women get in for half-price and kids under 15 are free (when accompanied by an adult with a full-price ticket).

So, despite the lawnmower vendors, the lumberjack display and the wild animal demonstrations, the hunting and angling soul of the show remains alive and well.

"Yes, we still have fishing," assured Georgie Kerr. "Yes, we still have hunting."

Sprinkled throughout the four days are numerous hunting- and fishing-related seminars. The show's Web site has details: www.gsoss.com.

Kerr said he doesn't think the current recession will keep people away because the show offers a lot of education and entertainment for a good price. "There are probably a lot of pent-up feelings about doing something nice nowadays without spending a lot of money," he said. "Where else in New Jersey can you get something as entertaining as this for $15 for the family?"